Rotary pump.



PATENTED AUG. 18,1908.

mm M wm W a JM/@ may@ m w 55E-f MRW m mm M s T 0 j a UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

LORING C. ROBINSON AND JOHN B. GAYLOR, OF THERMOPOLIS, WYOMING,ASSIGNORS TO THE PNEUMATIC WATER LIFT POWER & IRRIGATION CO., OF DENVER,COLORADO, A

CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

ROTARY ,PUMP.

No..s9e,581.

vSpecification OfLetters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LORING C. ROBINSON and JOHN B. GAYLOR, citizens ofthe United States, residing at rlliermopolis, in the county of Fremontand State of Vyoming, have invented new and useful Improvements inRotary Pumps, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary pumps or waterelevators of that type adapted to be partially submerged in a stream andhaving a spiral water course so constructed and arranged as to effectthe discharge of thewater during the revolution of the pump by thecompression and expansion of air in the successive spirals of saidcourse.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efhcientconstruction of pump of this character adapted to be arranged for use ina flume or other running water course and to be revolved by the impactof the water, said pump being provided with a novel construction andarrangement of parts, whereby the efliciency of operation of devices ofthis character is materially increased.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of the pump as arranged for operation.Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section on a line crossing the inlet of the spiral watercourse.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a flume or other like watercourse, 2 the side Ywalls thereof, which are provided with suitablebearings 3.

Mounted to turn within the bearings 3 is a shaft 4, one end of which ismade hollow or tubular to provide a discharge port or passage 5. Thehollow end of the shaft projects beyond its bearing and is connected bya swiveled coupling 6 to a discharge pipe 7, said coupling permittingfree rotation of the shaft, while the pipe remains in a stationaryposition for the outflow of the water therethrough. A

Supported by the shaft is a skeleton frame or cylinder comprising ringsor annular end portions S, connected by longitudinal bars or braces 9,said rings or annular portions 8 being connected by radial arms 1() tosleeves 11 ixed lon the shaft, whereby the body or frame and shaft areadapted to rotate in unison.

Supported by the cylindrical frame is an exterior casing comprisinginner and outer cylindrical walls 12 and 13 arranged in collcentricrelation and connected by an intervening spiral partition 14, forminoPtherewith a spiral water course or channel 15, extending from end to endof the rotary frame, said channel communicating at one end with anoutlet pipe or passage 16 connecting with the hollow portion ordischarge passage 5 formed by the hollow end of the shaft 4, throughwhich the water passes to the discharge pipe 7. The inlet of the waterchannel is formed by a nozzle 17 which extends spirally out beyond' thesurface of the outer wall 13 of the casing, so that its outer or inletend will project beyond the periphery of the wheel to di into the wateriowing through a flume am to take up a prescribed quantity of water andair on each revolution of the wheel. It will be observed that the wheelis but partially submerged in the fiowing current of water, which isdesirable and permitted by the described arrangement of the nozzle whichobviates the necessity of wholly immersing the wheel or immersing it toa large extent. Depending longitudinally on the outer side of the casingare paddles or blades 18 against which the current of flowing waterstrikes, whereby rotary motion to the wheel is imparted. By thisconstruction an under-shot water wheel is formed by which a free andeasy rotary movement is insured, as the wheel as an entirety= does notrotate within the body of water. Such construction permits of the use ofthe device in shallow streams, in which respect it is superior to thosepumps which are designed and intended to be wholly immersed.

In the operation of the device, it will be apparent that the rotarywater wheel or pump will be rotated by the action of the flowing currentof water in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, the nozzle 1 7dipping into the Water successively on each revolution of the pressionof the confined air.

secured. During the revolution of the wheel the water taken up will begradually forced toward the outlet, but in each convolution of thespiral channel only a certain portion of the water will be contained.There will,

consequently, be an air space left in the upper part of eachconvolution, whereby the water flowing from one convolution to the otherwill compress the air therein, which, on expulsion, will pass into thenext convolution and displace the air therefrom. By this means 'thesuccessive quantities of water taken into the wheel on eachrotationthereof will be forced by pneumatic action from one convolution toanother until finally discharged through the outlets 16 and 5 and forcedthence into the discharge pipe 7, through which the water will flow tothe desired point of use.

The invention provides a simple, inexpensive and efficient type ofrotary pump which may be used in conjunction with allowing stream forpumping water therefrom to any .desired point or elevation, and whichwill be operated by the force of the flowing water, thus adapting thedevice especially for use as an efficient pump for irrigating purposes.The device, however, may be driven by any suitable auxiliary power wherethe force of the water cannot be utilized. It will be observed that thespiral channel or water course gradually decreases in width or area fromits inlet to its discharge end, thus decreasing to a minimum any primaryresistance to the flow of the water caused initially by the com- Thisdecrease in width or area of the spiral channel is gradual andprogressive from the inlet to the discharge end, thus materiallyincreasing the efficiency of operation and insuring a graduallydecreasing resistance of the confined air pressure to the flowing water.

In order to render a pumping apparatus of this type effective forgeneral use in both shallow and deep streams, as well as in streams inwhich the current is slow or swift or variable to a marked degree, andin sections where high winds prevail and ice or driftwood flows with thecurrent and would be liable to damage or destroy a comparatively narrowwheel standing high above the surface of the water or one in which theparts are not strongly connected and braced, it is necessary to have thepump structure combine in a simple and compact manner an arrangement ofparts insuring durability, lightness and strength, with a minimumprojection or exposure of parts liable to be injured by floating objectsor current strain on the wheel, and also to have the wheel set close tothe surface of the water and to provide for effective propulsion. Thesenecessary and essential features are combined in the present device, inwhich it will be observed that the frame structure, while light andcomposed of a minimum number of parts, has its parts so combined andarranged as to mutually reinforce and brace each other and to form asubstantial support for the wheel body, the longitudinal braces 9, forinstance, firmly uniting the rings 8 without excess of material, whileone of the sleeves 11 surrounds the hollow end of the shaft adjacent tothe outlet 16, which is disposed between the adjoining bearing andadjoining sleeve Vand ring, thus securing maximum strength at astructurally weak point. The use of a onepiece shaft extendingcontinuously between the bearings and connected with the discharge pipebeyond one of the bearings also insures increased strength and rigidityover a structure employing a shaft formed of a plurality of parts andconnected with the discharge pipe inside the bearing, the one-piece formof the shaft further reducing the surface against which small floatingparticles may bear and collect within and act asa drag upon the wheel.It will be further observed that the comparatively great length andsmall diameter of the wheeladapts the wheel to lie horizontally close tothe surface of the water, thus diminishing liability of injury to thesame from wind or other pressure,while at the same time securingstrength and compactness of construction and providing for the use ofpaddles of a length to utilize the full force of even a slow current. Y

We are aware of the fact that some of the features of constructionherein disclosed are not broadly new, but the general combination andarrangement of parts whereby all of the stated advantages are secured ina single structure, as set forth in the appended claim, we believe to benew and productive of advantages in providing an apparatus capable ofmeeting all of the requirements mentioned.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

In an undershot rotary pump or elevator, the combination of spacedsupporting bearings arranged above the surface of the stream, ahorizontal shaft extending continuously between and journaled in saidbearings, one end of the shaft being hollow and forming a dischargepassage terminating at its inlet end on the inner side of the adjacentbearing, sleeves fixed to the shaft adjacent the bearings, one of saidsleeves surrounding and bracing the hollow end of the shaft, rings orbands surrounding the sleeves, spokes connecting the rings or bands withthe sleeves, longitudinal bars extending between and connected with therings or bands to form with the same and the sleeves and spokes askeleton supporting frame, a casing mounted upon the frame and providedwith a spiral water passage having at one end an inlet facing in thedirection of rotation of the wheel and at the other end an outletextending radially inward between the adjoining bearing and band andsleeve and communicating with the hollow end of the shaft, said easingbeing of a length substantially ooextensive with the distance betweenthe bands and having its lower portion submerged in or disposed close tothe surface of the stream7 addles or blades extending longtudinallallong the outer surface ofthe casing7 a discharge pipe, and a swiveledcoupling In testimony whereof, we afliX our signatures in presence oftwo witnesses.

LORING O. ROBINSON. JOHN B. GAYLOR. Witnesses:

JOHN A. THOMPSON, SAMUEL A. COPE.

